This invention relates generally to letter openers and, more particularly, to a letter opener for use with or integrally attached to a pen or mechanical pencil. More particularly, the present letter opener provides quick access to a tool for opening envelopes while still enabling the pen to be used as a writing instrument.
Business professionals typically have the responsibility of opening large amounts of mail every day, including letters, bills, solicitations, and the like. A letter opener having a blade or serrated edge is frequently utilized to open the envelopes rather than manually tearing each one open with one's fingers. Another crucial tool to a business professional, of course, is a pen for use as a writing instrument. In fact, a pen is often needed to write notes on the mail or as a result of the mail, to write instructions to other employees, or if other matters cause an interruption to opening the mail. In other words, these two tools used by a business professional—a letter opener and a pen—are needful at substantially the same time and it is inconvenient to have to frequently switch between them.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for combining a letter opener with a writing instrument. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a letter opener for attachment to a writing instrument for conveniently opening an envelope in a manner that maximizes safety and that enables simultaneous use of the writing implement.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a letter opener that is integrally attached to or even removably attached to a writing instrument that may be conveniently used to open envelopes without inhibiting continued use of the writing implement. Further, it would be desirable to have a letter opener that may be used safely when being used as a letter opener and also when using the writing implement.